Operations Lead

Since 2018, the LRU has grown its membership to over 7,000 renters across London.  Through our six branches, we support renters to take action to transform the housing system.  Organising in communities, the LRU runs training, facilitates peer support, takes collective action and campaigns on local issues, to grow our power.

The Operations Lead plays a key role in facilitating the union’s work, every day. By overseeing the systems, processes and resources that keep the union running effectively, this role creates the conditions for every part of the union to thrive. Working across teams, the Operations Lead helps ensure the organisation is resilient, efficient and well-equipped to achieve its goals.

You will be part of the LRU staff team alongside 15 other staff, who work with members to build the power of the union by organising, campaigning, training and facilitating peer support and member solidarity actions.  We expect staff to uphold the union’s values, and work together to implement collectively agreed strategies.  Each staff member has a line manager, and the staff team are accountable to the elected member Coordinating Group, and to each other.

Key decisions are held by the elected member Coordinating Group and subcommittees, with staff inputting into and facilitating these decisions.

Job description 

This role is varied, and can look different month-to-month.  This job description outlines some activities that you will be doing every month, and some activities that you will only do from time-to-time.

Building collective capacity

• Convening the line management team, organising monthly meetings and ensuring actions are being completed
• HR administration, including holding new starter induction processes; ensuring annual reviews are completed; supporting line managers when conflict or performance issues arise; and ensuring policies are reviewed and kept legally compliant
• Overseeing financial management, including processing invoices and expenses, annual budget development, and holding the relationship with our external accountant.
• Overseeing fundraising including prospecting, bid writing, reporting and fundraising strategy development with the fundraising team
• Overseeing office and resource management
• Overseeing formal compliance and risk management, including insurance, GDPR, and engagement with Companies House
• Inputting into staff decisions and LRU strategy discussions
• Taking part in team meetings
• Joining staff working groups when capacity allows

Building leadership

• Providing support to the elected member Staffing and Finance, and Information and Knowledge subcommittees

Building the power of the union

• Overseeing digital infrastructure, working with the Database Support Officer, and engaging external support when needed.
• Supporting member onboarding process, working with the Union Coordinator – Membership and Democracy.
• Participating in cross-staff calls sessions at least once a month.
• Attending and taking on roles at cross-union meetings, events, trainings and gatherings or other project meetings, across the year as capacity allows.
• Monitoring and responding to messages in main inboxes and carrying out other administrative tasks related to our membership system.

Person specification

• Experience coordinating the day-to-day operations of an organisation, ensuring systems, processes and priorities are effectively managed.
• Strong planning and problem-solving skills, with the ability to improve processes and identify practical solutions.
• Experience supporting people management processes, which can include recruitment, induction, performance management or employee relations, with the ability to work sensitively and maintain confidentiality.
• Experience overseeing organisational finances, including budgets, invoices and expenses, and working confidently with external finance professionals.
• Experience managing organisational compliance and governance, including risk management, data protection and maintaining accurate organisational records.
• Strong ability to build positive and effective relationships with a range of people, who have different experiences and positionalities
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly with a range of people to confidently explain processes and decisions
• Confidence using and overseeing digital systems, with the ability to support others in using them
• An ability to work independently, exercising sound judgement – and work collaboratively as part of a small team.
• A commitment to LRU values